In Italy, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a never ending scandal himself, is rising in the polls again ahead of the February 24 election.

In fact, he's closed the gap between him and the front runner to only 5 percent. Berlusconi was essentially pushed out of office by the markets in 2012. The country's yields rose to 7 percent when investors began abandoning the country's debt because it seemed Berlusconi didn't have the political ability to reform the Italian economy.

Technocratic leader Mario Monti was asked to step in. Now, that Monti's stepped down, the Italians have the option of bringing him back.

Berlusconi has recently made some politically astute moves, including a promise to repeal a controversial property tax, and the hiring of a star soccer player Mario Balotelli to his Milan soccer team.